In the matriarchal Great Yao, women rule and men are lesser. Lin Chenzhou, a gloomy and taciturn man from a fallen military family, lost his father and brothers in battle. The powerful Chancellor Shen has been swallowing up his family’s estate bit by bit, leaving only a dilapidated mansion and a household of servants with their own agendas. At death’s door, he awakens a “Black Pact” golden finger: by sealing a pact with blood, he can see whether people are loyal or treacherous and discern the causes behind their betrayals. In a crisis, he can also catch a glimpse of a “way to survive.” Lin Chenzhou trusts no one, only evidence and his blade. To reclaim his family home and live with dignity, he carefully plots and acts with ruthless resolve as he enters the vortex of the capital. Starting by rooting out traitors, he draws on the power of female generals and officials, step by step securing his place at court. But when he reaches the depths of Chancellor Shen’s power, he discovers an even greater imperial secret lurking behind the chancellor. The Black Pact can reveal people’s hearts, but it cannot illuminate the world. In the darkness, Lin Chenzhou must carve out a path with his blade.
